Statement on the Future Management of Silver Lake Reservoir
Silver
Lake Reservoir will no longer be used to store drinking water by the City of
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.
This decision has brought forth many views on the future of the
reservoir and its beneficial uses by the people of Los Angeles. The recently announced decision to refill Silver
Lake Reservoir is welcome. As the future
of the reservoir property continues to be discussed, Los Angeles Audubon
Society offers the following recommendations for the conservation of birds and
their habitats at this location.
Silver
Lake Reservoir is a popular birding site and is important for resident and
migratory birds. Birders have recorded observations of over 140 species at the reservoir on the eBird website and have visited it annually for the Christmas
Bird Count since the early 1900s. Its
importance to birds has been longstanding, as shown by various observations
recorded over the years in our newsletter, The
Western Tanager. For example, in 1936,
Sandhill Cranes were reported to have been wintering at the site for several
years, White Pelicans wintered in 1946, and Tundra Swans in 1948. Recent nesting observations
include the Great Blue Heron rookery that is a visible outpost of this
charismatic species. New species continue
to be observed, with Peregrine Falcon, American Avocet, Greater Yellowlegs, and
Northern Pintail recorded in 2017. It is
also the site of local songbird rarities, such as a White-throated Sparrow in
April 2016 and a Blackpoll Warbler along with other fall migrants in the
Eucalyptus trees in fall 2015. These
observations show the persistent use of Silver Lake Reservoir and surrounding
grounds as a site for wintering and breeding birds.
 |
| From Western Tanager, May 1936 |
The
two most important features of Silver Lake Reservoir as a habitat for birds are
the presence of water in the reservoir and the presence and maintenance of a
fence that limits disturbance within the fenceline. The presence of water is obviously essential
to maintain the site as a wintering ground for waterbirds. Allowing for varying depths of water would provide
habitat for the greatest diversity of wading, diving, and dabbling birds. The presence and maintenance of the fence,
keeping people away from the water and water’s edge, maximizes the value of the
site as a wildlife refuge. Humans and
pets disturb birds, such that birds can abandon a site, and the fence is the
single most important conservation management tool at the site after the
presence of water.
We
therefore recommend that water be maintained in the reservoir and that the
fence be kept in place and in good repair.
Without the fence, and the resources to maintain it, we fear that the
site would quickly be occupied by people and pets throughout the day and night,
as has become the case for other natural open spaces in the City. Without the fence, the effective size of the
reservoir for birds will be greatly reduced and any species using the uplands
and their vegetation would be subject to significantly increased disturbance. We support adding appropriate vegetation to
the banks of the reservoir. The early
days of the reservoir had soft banks and emergent wetland vegetation;
re-establishment of such plants would increase the value of the site for birds
significantly, but only if the fenceline is maintained and human disturbance
excluded.
March
27, 2017
Contact:
Travis Longcore, Ph.D., Conservation
Chair, (310) 247-9719
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